During the discussion, it was emphasized that it is important to focus on eliminating the shortage of essential medicines that some patients are forced to purchase abroad. To address this issue, a special commission has been established under the Ministry of Health, tasked with preparing specific recommendations to improve the situation with medicine supply by the end of December. There was also talk about the need for urgent measures for the supply of scarce medications.
Considering the growing demand for essential medicines and the scale of the healthcare system, a comprehensive approach is necessary to ensure continuous supplies. In this regard, optimization of the work of the State Enterprise "Kyrgyzpharmacia" is planned, including increased funding and improvement of procurement mechanisms.
It should be noted that the market structure, where up to 95% of medicines are imported, creates vulnerability. Government support measures include financing domestic pharmaceutical companies, including credit programs through the State Development Bank aimed at localizing production.
The Minister also highlighted the importance of responsible approaches and justified decisions in the procurement of medicines for cancer patients. Serious questions arose during the meeting regarding some purchases related to clinical feasibility.
In particular, Dosmambetov mentioned the procurement of the cancer treatment drug "Keytruda" (pembrolizumab) without the necessary accompanying documents, which carries certain risks. The total cost of this procurement amounted to about 80 million soms, but the volume of the purchased drug allows for the treatment of only six patients in the fourth stage of cancer.
This raises questions about the appropriateness of using budget funds, as similar financial resources could have been directed towards purchasing drugs for early stages of the disease, significantly increasing the number of patients receiving assistance.
"Oncological drugs are not a place for marketing experiments. Every decision should be evaluated in terms of saving lives," the minister noted.
Dosmambetov also condemned unethical marketing, manipulation of applications, and pressure on doctors. In anticipation of stricter accountability for official crimes, any violations in the field of medicine supply will be strictly assessed from a legal standpoint.
To improve control and prevent unscrupulous practices, it was instructed to complete the implementation of a drug tracking system, which should be fully operational by the end of January. This system will ensure transparency in the movement of medications from procurement to the end consumer, allow for forecasting needs, and enable prompt responses to the risks of shortages.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health has been tasked with developing a mechanism for forming a database of unscrupulous participants in the pharmaceutical market, which will serve as a basis for restricting their participation in the supply of medicines in Kyrgyzstan.
Summarizing the meeting, the minister emphasized that the pharmaceutical policy should be formed in the interests of the state and patients.
"The Ministry must restore order in this sensitive area. There is no place for private interests here. The interests of the state and patients should determine all decisions," concluded Kanibek Dosmambetov.
As a result of the meeting, the parties agreed to continue cooperation and develop proposals aimed at improving the accessibility of essential medicines and protecting the interests of patients.
